Police watchdog chief McBride says IPID had to investigate top cop

Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) head Robert McBride has told Parliament's portfolio committee on police that IPID has a dossier containing evidence of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice against acting national police commissioner, Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane.

News24 reported that McBride briefed the committee on Wednesday. IPID is reportedly investigating how Phahlane's R8 million house and fleet of cars were paid for.

Phahlane has called the investigation a "witch hunt", but McBride said on Wednesday that Phahlane was informed early on about the investigation.

News24 quoted McBride as saying:

"General Phahlane denied here in front of the House and in public that he was aware of the investigation. This is false. We have documentary proof that not only was he informed about it, but his own signature is in the document asking his PA to schedule a meeting regarding the case and that's as early as June 2016. Unfortunately for Phahlane, we have recordings of every interview."

The news site quoted IPID investigations chief, Matthews Sesoko saying IPID's role was not to determine innocence or guilt, but to collect evidence and present it to the relevant authority.

He reportedly said: "What we are saying is that what we have, based on investigations relating to the vehicles, the house, it just doesn't add up and therefore it requires us to investigate that."